His Sun
by TheMorgtician
Summary: A collection of one shots based around the Lion's Sin of Pride and the Boar's Sin of Gluttony and their adventures with the Sins. Will include the other Sins and characters as well. Rated T to be safe.
1. You're so Dead

**Hello everyone!**

 **This is my first attempting at writing in this area, so I hope it's not too bad. Each chapter will be a standalone unless mentioned otherwise.**

 **First up on our list of one shots: Ban makes a fatal mistake and Escanor is more than happy to correct him.**

 **I do not own a thing.**

 **Enjoy~**

* * *

It had started as a typical day at the Boar Hat. The group decided to take advantage of the peace while they could, and have a few drinks. Most of the male Sins, along with Gilthunder, Howzer, and Griamore, occupied the small tavern. Elizabeth, Diane, and Merlin decided to use their free time to go shopping. Escanor had offered to come along, to help carry their items, to which the girls had instantly accepted.

"Explain to me again why they're doing this?" King muttered to the pink haired sin next to him.

Gowther adjusted his glasses, observing the scene in front of him. Ban and Meliodas sat at the table in front of them, with their hands dead locked in an arm wrestle. "I do believe that is Gilthunder and Howzer's doing."

"Oh yeah." King said, watching the duo struggle against each other.

It had started as a simple conversation between the two younger Holy Knights. One thing lead to another and Gilthunder and Howzer started bickering back and forth, about which one of the Sins had been stronger. Meliodas had joined into the conversation, stating that since he had the most wins in their contests, it was clear he was the stronger of the two. Ban had simply laughed as he corrected the demon, explaining that he held the title of 'The Strongest Sin'.

"I've already told you, Captain." Ban grunted as Meliodas's hand started to get closer to the table top. "I'm winning."

The blonde gave him a smirk before sending the immortal flying to the ground. Ban landed on his back, sliding to a stop at the entrance of the tavern. The Sin of Wrath stood with his arms in the air triumphantly. "That makes me the winner!"

"You're a dirty cheater!" Ban stood, angrily staring at the small man.

Meliodas shrugged. It hadn't been the first time that Ban had gotten upset over the results of their game. "You're just a sore loser."

"We agreed on no powers! There's no way you could have thrown me like that without them!" Ban said as he threw his hands up, feeling his fist connect with the surprisingly soft wall behind him. The atmosphere changed. The one of joyful and loud had become tense and silent. A confused look crossed his face, as he looked over the others. King looked at Ban with a look of pure horror. The teasing look in his best friend's eyes had disappeared. Gowther, turned his head to the side as if he were trying to calculate something. He couldn't figure out why they all had the looks they did, surely, he and the Captain's little game hadn't scared them that bad. Their game had actually ended quite peacefully for the two of them. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Ban," King squeaked out as he pointed to a spot behind him. "Look."

"Eh?" Ban's gaze followed the Grizzly Sin's outstretched hand. When his sight reached the object that the fairy had been pointing at, Ban's heart stopped.

Merlin, Elizabeth, and Diane stood behind him. The first thing he noticed was how close he had been to the Boar Sin. Then he noticed the hand covering her mouth and the look of surprise in her eyes. Pulling her hand away, any hope that Ban had of escaping the situation alive, faded. The 'wall' that Ban had thought he had punched hadn't been a wall at all. It had been Merlin's face. A single drop of blood fell from the cut on her lip.

The Sin of Wrath shook his head slowly. "You're so dead."

* * *

The three visitors all shared confused looks. None of them had any idea why the others had acted the way they had, or why 'Undead Ban' had suddenly become so scared.

"I've never seen Ban act this way." Griamore muttered to his friends.

"Me either. It's weird. I wonder why he's so shook up. I mean, it's just a split lip. Surely Merlin won't be too upset with him. It was an accident after all." Gilthunder had known the mage for a short time while growing up, and he had never known her to over react like the others.

"It's not Merlin he has to worry about." King stated, his eyes narrowing on the doorway.

"Ban's just lucky it is past noon." Meliodas shrugged, putting his hands behind his head. The three looked at each other, realization dawning on them as to how much trouble the Fox Sin had just gotten himself into.

* * *

Ban paled. "M-Merlin? I thought you and the girls went shopping."

"We just got back! What did you do Ban?!" Diane called out, putting a hand on Merlin's shoulder. Merlin waved her off as she gently touched the sore spot on her bottom lip.

"I'm soo sooo sorry!" He panicked as he looked around trying to find something, anything, to fix the situation. His arms hovered around her, unsure of what he could do to make the mark disappear.

"I'd start running if I were you." King said as he floated near the pair, inspecting the injury himself. The Fairy King doubted it had even hurt the Boar Sin. He knew, however, it wasn't Merlin the immortal had to worry about.

"If you're not going to help then get away!" Ban snapped. He turned his attention back to the dark haired mage in front of him. "Let me have Elizabeth heal you. Just please, don't tell Escanor."

"Don't tell me what?" the Lion Sin demanded as he stepped into the tavern. He placed the absurdly large amount of packages and bags down on the nearest table before turning his attention to Ban. Time stood still as Ban watched the prideful man's eyes travel from him, to Merlin, to her injury, to Ban's outstretched arm, and back to Ban's face. The Lion Sin's eyes narrowed.

"Now Escanor," Ban put his hands up in surrender, hoping he could talk his way out of the situation. Escanor was a reasonable guy most of the time. "It's not what you think! It was an accident!"

"Oh, an accident was it?" His voice questioned as he approached Ban. Even though the sun had started to set, Escanor towered over the other Sin. Escanor twisted his mustache in thought. "Accidents happen, I presume." Ban relaxed slightly. Before his sigh of relief could fully leave his lungs, Escanor slammed his fist into Ban's face. The Fox Sin hadn't been prepared for the blow, and was thrown through the wall by the sheer force of the blow. Howzer, Gilthunder, and Griamore looked at the man with pure terror. "My apologies, that was an accident."

"I tried to warn him." King muttered as he floated beside Diane.

"I can heal it for you if you'd like, Lady Merlin." Elizabeth offered.

"No thank you Princess. It's just a scratch. I'll be fine. I do however need to get these items up to my room so I can continue my research." Before she could move, Escanor already had her half of the items in question in his arms.

"Allow me to carry them for you." Merlin gave him a thankful smile. The two disappeared up the stairs.

"You okay out there Ban?" Meliodas called out to his best friend as he poured two more mugs of alcohol. Ban appeared a moment later, stepping through the hole in the wall.

"Yeah I'm fine." Ban groaned as he sat down beside his leader, rubbing the back of his head to soothe the pain. "Damn, that hurt. I said I was sorry."

* * *

"You can place the stuff over there, Escanor. Thank you." Merlin said as she shut the door behind them. He placed her items down in the spot she had indicated. His eyes followed her as she walked over to her desk. Feeling his gaze on her, she turned towards him, eyebrow raised.

He closed the gap between them. Gently, he grasped her chin with his hand, tilting her head up so he could inspect the wound himself. "Are you sure you are alright, Lady Merlin?"

His heart fluttered as the smirk he so dearly loved graced her face. "Thank you, but I'm fine Escanor. I assure you it's just a scratch. You didn't need to go so rough on him."

"It is a scratch that shouldn't have happened. He needed to atone for his carelessness." Escanor's voice held a serious tone. Realizing he still held her in his grasp, he let go. A faint pink started to color his cheeks. He began rubbing his neck awkwardly. "I'll leave you to your research now. If you need anything, I'll be downstairs."

Merlin shook her head as she heard the door shut. "Sometimes he's such an overprotective fool."


	2. A Real Monster

**Welcome back!**

 **I'd like to thank anyone who's favorited and/or followed this series so far!**

 **Up next: While out and about after a mission, Diane and Merlin come across a situation that neither are too happy about.**

 **Enjoy~**

* * *

"Well, that mission didn't take long at all!" Diane said enthusiastically as she continued to stare at the passing buildings in wonder. The sun had just set as she and Merlin wondered the town. "Thanks for letting me try these pills, Merlin! They're working great!"

After the battle, Merlin had given Diane one of her newest inventions. It had been a bottle of small star shaped pills that she had called "Minimum Tablets". To Diane's wonder, and Merlin's pleasure, the item seemed to be giving the result she had intended.

"Yes." Merlin agreed as she floated beside her fellow Sin. She had decided it would be safer for her to stay beside the giant, until she knew for sure how long the pills would last. They had just saved the town, they couldn't afford for it to be destroyed because of her miscalculation. "From the information Grand Master Zaratras had learned, it seemed as though they would have been more formidable."

"But then again, they were up against- Hey, what's going on over there?" Diane questioned. She could see a group of the male villagers. She had been around humans long enough to tell when they were agitated, and the group of men looked just that. She looked to Merlin, a silent statement passed over the two. Though neither knew why, they both had the feeling they should check it out. As the pair got closer, they heard the men shouting.

"Get out of here, freak!"

"We don't want you, or any of your friends here!"

"You're nothing but a monster!"

"You shouldn't exist!"

"P-please. I-I a-apologize f-or my e-xistence." Violet and gold eyes met, anger flashing behind them. The Sins had been together for well over a year, so it had been easy for them to recognize the voice of the Lion's Sin of Pride's night form.

"Hey!" Diane shouted as she approached the men, she could see that the men had someone surrounded. Placing her hands on her hips, she stared the men down. She had heard enough of the conversation to know that the men had not been happy with she and her friends showing up to save the day. "What do you think you're doing to him?"

One of the men stepped towards the Serpent Sin. "He's not welcome here! Something like him is not wanted! He can only bring death and destruction!" While she couldn't blame the villagers for being scared of them, especially of Escanor who had destroyed many of the enemies with one blow.

However, the way the men had acted, and the things they had said to her friend, had been completely uncalled for. Escanor had been an important part of saving their village after all. "He helped save your village! You should be the ones who are ashamed!"

"He's nothing but a monster!" One of the villagers growled. He picked up a rock and threw it at Escanor. The Sin covered his head, preparing for the impact. Instead, he heard the sound of the rock hit something else entirely. Cracking open his eyes, he could see the clear barrier that protected him. He knew this magic very well. He sent an appreciative smile to the mage.

"A monster you say?" Merlin's voice was steady as floated towards the group of men. "You are nothing but fools, especially if you believe him to be a monster. I assure you, I've traveled much of this land. I've seen what real monsters look like, and who they are." She flashed the group a wicked grin as she floated higher above them. "If you wish to see one, I would be more than happy to show you what a real monster is."

The leader of the group took a step back as the Boar's Sin gaze fell on him. The look in her eyes sent a chill up the man's spine. "J-just keep him out of our town."

Merlin watched with a smirk as the men left. Judging by how quickly the men left, she had managed to scare them. _Good._ She thought to herself. _Escanor is not a monster, and I refuse to let people like them convince him otherwise._

"Escanor, are you okay?" Diane leaned down, offering the kneeling man a hand.

Gratefully, he took the giantess' hand. "Y-yes. Thank you, Diane."

"There's no reason to thank us, we're teammates. We're supposed to help each other." She gave him a gentle smile as she twisted one of her pigtails. She had known the cruelty of the humans, all of them had. She refused to stand by while her friends experienced it.

"You-you're right. I'm s-sorry. I must admit, I am still not used to the idea of having others that actually enjoy being around me." The Lion Sin put a hand behind his head, rubbing it awkwardly. Even though he had been with the Sins for some time, he still had not gotten fully used to having people that wanted him around, that wanted to be with him.

He jumped as he felt Merlin put a hand on his shoulder. "There is nothing for you to apologize for. You did nothing wrong."

Diane smiles at him again. "We should head back to the inn before the others start to worry." The others nodded, Diane hummed to herself as she skipped ahead of the pair, towards the inn that held the other Sins.

They had only made it a few steps before Escanor stopped. "Miss Merlin, may I say something?"

"Of course." Merlin turned, looking at her comrade. He had his head down and his hands balled into fists.

"Back there, what you said to those ruffians. You said that you could show them what a real monster is. I do hope you weren't referring to yourself." Escanor took her hands in his. Finally, he looked up at her, and held her gaze steadily. Merlin had been surprised to say the least, it was rare for Escanor to show such confidence at this hour of night. She watched as he took a deep breath. She could see the faint pink color dusting his cheeks. "Because, truth be told, you are quite the opposite. I know that neither myself, nor any of our fellow Sins, would ever think of you that way. You're beautiful, gentle, kind, intelligent, and gifted in so many ways. There's no way that any of us could ever compare you to a monster."

He watched as a genuine smile, and not just one of her smirks, crossed her face. It warmed him to his core. To think, he of all people, had gotten her to actually smile. Countless poems entered his mind as he looked at her. The moment didn't last long however, as a familiar voice called to them.

"Escanor, Merlin! Let's go!" Diane said as she jogged back to the pair. Taking Escanor's hand, she began to drag him along with her. "They're going to start celebrating without us!"

The mage shook her head as she watched Diane pull the man away. "If you only knew." She sighed softly as she muttered to herself.

"Merlin! Come on!"


	3. Not a Bad Way to Go

**Welcome back everyone!**

 **I'd like to thank anyone who's taken the time to read this, favorited, and/or followed.**

 **Next up: Escanor comes back from a mission and tries to reason with a stubborn Merlin.**

 **Enjoy~**

* * *

"Welcome back you three!" Elizabeth called out as three of the Sins entered the Boar Hat. Meliodas, Gowther, and Escanor had accepted a mission from King Bartra. It had taken them a little over two weeks to finish. The mission itself had been simple, find and eliminate a beast that had been causing issues throughout the neighboring kingdom.

Meliodas wasted no time, appearing beside Elizabeth and lifting up her skirt. "Sir Meliodas!"

"Get away from her!" Hawk cried out before kicking the Captain of the Sins. "Even this early in the morning you're still a pervert."

The sun had just started to rise as the Sins had entered the tavern. The three remaining Sins each sat at their own table. Escanor weighed his options. Ban tended to be very short and irritable in the mornings, usually due to a hangover. King would typically just gaze at Diane. Ultimately, he decided to sit beside the giant. He could do with a pleasant conversation. "Diane," He called out. "Who ran the bar whilst we were gone?"

"Well," Diane gave him a soft smile. "Ban did the cooking as usual. Gilthunder and Howzer actually served the alcohol."

"Oh? Did they now?" Diane could see the threatening look in his eyes. She knew that it had been his job as barkeep.

She raised her hands, "But they do as good as a job as you of course!"

"Hm." He twisted his mustache in thought. "Of course, those impudent children could never do as well of a job as I do. I am the best barkeep there is, after all." Diane let out a sigh of relief. She had learned over the years that the man's day form could be a bit, prideful at times. She watched as he looked around again. "Diane, where is Lady Merlin? I have a question for her."

"I think she's doing some research, at least that's what she said the other day." Diane said. A confused look appeared on her face as she tried to remember the last time she had actually seen the mage. "Now that you mention it. I haven't seen her. Hey King?" The fairy turned his head towards the pair. "Have you seen Merlin recently?"

The boy floated on the pillowed form of Chastiefol for a moment. "She said something the day after you guys left, about a new object she had wanted to try, but that was the last time I remember seeing her. What about you guys?" King looked to Ban, Elizabeth, and Hawk.

The Princess spoke first, "I'm sorry, I haven't seen her recently. She hasn't come to the Boar Hat while I've been here."

"I've been tending it after you leave, Elizabeth." Diane said. "And I haven't seen her." Suspicion started to set in the back of the Lion Sin's mind. He knew very well how his beloved mage could be, especially when it came to her research. The Sins all shared a look, all thinking the same thing. Sighing, Escanor excused himself.

"I hope Lady Merlin is okay." Elizabeth muttered.

"Don't worry," Meliodas poured himself a drink. "I'm sure she's fine. Escanor will see to that."

* * *

The walk to Merlin's temporary lab had only taken him six minutes. Stepping up, he knocked on the door gently. Not surprised he didn't receive and answer, he debated on whether it was a good idea to just intrude or to wait for her. Looking up at the sun that hung high in the sky, he became fully confident that she wouldn't mind him entering.

Quietly, he shut the door behind him. He glanced around the area. He had been invited to her lab a few times since they had rejoined the kingdom. The layout had been simple enough, the hallway he stood in led into the main area in which Merlin conducted her research. A staircase sat off to the side. If followed, it would take him upstairs to the area that held a small library.

Reaching the opening, it didn't surprise him that Merlin stood at one of the desks. A small item sat in front of her. The object itself seemed simple enough. It looked like a simple hexagon shaped orb. Escanor knew however, that if Merlin had, in fact, spent over a week creating the item, it had to be more complex.

His gaze traveled over the woman. He could see the dark circles under her eyes, indicating that she had been here for some time, without sleep. The paleness of her skin also worried him. While she had a pale complexion to begin with, he noted just how pale it was. It became clear to him that she, most likely, hadn't eaten in her time here either.

Escanor knew that she valued knowledge above everything else. Somewhere along the way, he had taken it upon himself to make sure that while she conducted her experiments, she also took care of herself. He would bring her various sweets that he knew she enjoyed, along with wine. If he felt she had spent too much time, he would attempt to draw her away, for at least a few minutes to give herself a break. It had become their routine.

"Merlin." The Lion Sin called out quietly as she raked a hand through her hair. He could feel the annoyance radiating off of her in waves. Whatever the item was, it had given no indication as to what she wanted. The woman paid no attention to his calling, and continued to stare at the item with frustration.

Stepping closer, Escanor loudly cleared his throat. Merlin jumped slightly, dropping the item that she had picked up. Before it could fall to the ground, she used her magic to freeze it. It floated back up, into her hands. She turned to the man responsible. He may have just been imagining things, but Escanor swore that the fainted hue of pink dusted her cheeks. "Escanor, I didn't hear you come in."

"I'm not surprised."

Merlin looked at the man with slight annoyance. "What can I do for you?"

"You can take a break." Escanor said flatly. He watched as her eyes widened slightly, before narrowing. He tossed the words around in his mouth, knowing that if he didn't word it just right, he would likely be sent back to the Boar Hat, whether he wanted to or not. "What I mean is, maybe, it would be for the best if you stepped away for a while."

"I'm fine, Escanor. I'm almost done anyway." She assured as she turned back to the damned item. She heard him bark out a single laugh. She raised her eyebrows in surprise. Escanor had just laughed, at her of all people. Straightening her back, she turned back to him. "What is so funny?"

"You are. You know, stubbornness doesn't suit you." Escanor said simply. Truthfully, the bravado he had was nothing but a bluff at this moment. The look she had sent him had chilled him to his core. Never in their time together, had he been on the receiving end of that look. She never ceased to amaze him. Even at this time, when his pride was this high, she had managed to unsettle him. Looking him over once more, she returned her focus to the object of her frustrations. An idea appeared in the Lion Sin's mind, without another word he exited the room.

Merlin closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The last thing she had wanted to do was upset the man. He had simply wanted to help. Rubbing her temples, she tried to collect her thoughts. She was close to cracking the seal on the item. She just needed a few more-

"What are you doing?"

"Two can play the stubborn game." Escanor said as he sat a chair down at one of the empty desks. A quill and a leather-bound book sat on the chair. Merlin knew the book very well, it had been a gift from her many years ago. It had been a place that he could write his poems. He moved the items from the chair, placing them on the desk. "Seeing how you won't take my advice, I'm going to accompany you. This way I can make sure that in your sleep deprived state, you won't hurt yourself." The Boar Sin stared at him as he sat down, and opened his book. Any guilt she had felt had turned to annoyance. Waving him off, she once again, returned to her work.

* * *

As the day passed, Escanor kept a watchful eye on the woman. Her movements had become progressively more and more sluggish as time passed. He knew it would only be a matter of time before her lack of sleep caught up with her, it always did. He placed his quill down, looking over the countless poems he had written. Each had been about her, of course. She had been the muse behind many of his creations.

"Finally." He had barely heard her. His sight traveled to her. She wore a triumphant smile as she stared down at the item. Escanor couldn't contain the smile that appeared on his own face. Her smile had always been contagious to him.

"Merlin?" His smile faded into a frown as he watched her sway slightly. Standing up, he started to approach the mage. Panic seized his heart as he watched her eyes roll back, before she started to collapse. With the grace of the beast he had been marked with, he moved towards her. He dived to the ground, effectively placing himself between the unconscious mage and the stone floor. He breathed a sigh of relief as he felt her land softly on his chest. Gently, he lifted the two of them off the ground. Taking her in his arms, he began his walk to the newly rebuilt tavern.

With no one to talk to, he lets his mind wander. What if he hadn't returned in time? What if she had dropped something in her tired state? What if she had gotten a fever or had hurt herself physically? Unconsciously he tightened his grip on her as his mind pondered the 'what if' scenarios.

His looked down as he felt the woman stirring in his arms. He watched as her dark lashes fluttered a few times. Slowly, she looked up at him, with the golden eyes he had fallen in love with. "I don't say this enough," Her voice lacked the force it normally held. "But thank you, Escanor."

"There's nothing to thank me for." He scoffed, his face turning a shade of red.

"I assure you, there is a lot that you should be thanked for." His face turned an even darker shade of red as she rested her head against his shoulder. A few more steps and he felt her relax in his grip. A couple more and he noticed her breathing regulate. He couldn't help but notice how close her face is to his neck as he felt the slight exhale of her breath against his skin.

The walk back to the tavern took longer than he had remembered. Thankfully, the tavern had been empty, minus their Captain and the Princess. He had explained what had happened, and told them that he would be taking Merlin to her room so she could get some proper rest. Both had agreed it would be for the best.

It had been a challenge to pull back the blanket before laying her down, but he had managed to do it. He pulled the blanket up, covering her. He brushed a stray hair away from her face as he admired her sleeping form. Times like this, he considered a gift from the Goddesses above. Rarely did he get to see her so relaxed and calm. Turning slightly in the bed, he tried to stand up.

He hadn't made it far. He felt someone grip his arm, stopping his movement. "I'm cold." Merlin muttered.

Escanor looked around, trying to find something to remedy the issue. "Let me get you another blanket." Her grip didn't waiver.

"Or," Merlin looked up at him with a tired, sly smile. "You could stay with me. I'm sure you could use some rest too." He must have looked as shocked as he felt because she let out a chuckle. "Come on Big Guy. A nap won't hurt anyone."

"O-okay. I-if you're s-sure that's w-what you w-want." He stuttered out. Even though the sun hadn't started to set, his confidence had disappeared completely. It had been something that only she held the power to do.

"It is." She assured. She moved over, giving him room.

Removing his shoes, he climbed in beside her. He lay completely still as he felt her lean against him. Her head rested on his shoulder. He heard her let out a content sigh before returning to her slumber. His heartbeat fluttered as she shifted. He was sure he had died and gone to heaven. One final thought crossed his mind before he surrendered to his own exhaustion.

 _It's not a bad way to go, at least._


	4. Take a Break

**Welcome back everyone!**

 **A quick little note here. I want to apologize if anyone seems out of character at all. I'm not too well versed in fluff, but I figured I'd give it a shot. I also want to stay away from spoilers, just in case someone hasn't read the manga yet.**

 **Up Next: Merlin has a migraine and the other Sins make it worse. Naturally, it's up to Escanor to help her out.**

 **I'd like to thank anyone who's taken the time to read/review/favorite/follow this fic!**

 **Enjoy~**

* * *

Merlin let out an annoyed sigh as she looked at the object in front of her. The dark-haired mage had spent the past few nights in her lab, trying to perfect the object, however she found no success. She could feel the dull throbbing in the side of her head. She had been no stranger to migraines. More often than not, if she found herself focusing too hard on one of her experiments for too long, one would appear. She pinched the bridge of her nose, willing it to go away.

She looked out the window to right. The sun hung high in the sky. The Boar Sin weighed her options, she could continue to try and finish the item that sat on the desk, or she could take a break. The sharp pain in her temple told her the latter option would be a better idea. Calling Aldan to her side, she teleported out of the lab.

* * *

"Hello Lady Merlin!" Elizabeth greeted as Merlin appeared in the doorway. Elizabeth gave her a friendly smile.

"Hello Princess, Sir Hawk." Merlin nodded at the two. Her eyes scanned the empty tavern. It seemed the only inhabitants of the Boar Hat had been the Princess, herself, and Hawk. She could sense the magic of her Captain, not surprised he had been in the area. "Where is the Captain?"

"He's upstairs, getting some stuff from the storage room." Hawk said. He had his face shoved into one of his food bowls. Merlin shook her head as she took a seat at the bar. Elizabeth joined her, sitting off to her left. Merlin could sense her eyes on her.

"I can get him for you if you'd like?" Elizabeth offered.

"No need." Meliodas' voice said as his head appeared beside Elizabeth's own. Merlin rolled her eyes as his hands circled around her. Elizabeth turned a faint shade of red. "I'm right here."

"S-sir Meliodas, stop!" Elizabeth cried out, turning a brighter shade of red as he blew into her ear.

"You're no fun this morning." The Dragon Sin muttered to himself as he jumped down. "Hey Merlin. You feelin' okay?"

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Merlin lied. She gave him her signature smirk, raising her eyebrow.

"You're here pretty early." Meliodas said simply as he sat a mug down in front of the mage. "Normally you're locked up in the lab working on your experiments until at least dinner."

"I was not getting anywhere, so I decided to take a break." Merlin took a drink of the ale. She watched as Meliodas stared at her, knowing that he didn't believe her. Before he could push the subject, the tavern door flung open. Merlin winced slightly as the loud sound rung out.

Diane and King entered first. Ban followed suit behind, stumbling slightly. "H-hey Capt'in!" Ban yelled as he entered the tavern.

"Ban!" Diane yelled as he leaned down onto her, wrapping one of his arms around her shoulders. He waved his empty mug at the three at the bar. "Get off me!"

"But the room's swaying!" Ban whined.

"Then you shouldn't be drunk! It's barely past noon!" King scolded. Diane untangled herself from the immortal before joining Elizabeth at the bar. King and Ban continue to bicker back and forth.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Meliodas questioned again. Ever since the others had joined, he had noticed that Merlin would blink a few times, as if trying to clear her vision. He also noticed how any time a loud noise would happen, she would wince just slightly. He doubted anyone else would have noticed it, but he had known her for a long time.

Before she could respond, Ban stumbled over to the pair. "Hey Merlin!" He slammed his cup down, getting closer to the Boar Sin. "Let's have a fight. You and I haven't had a good one in years."

"No." Merlin said as she took another drink of her ale.

"Puh-leaase!" Ban whined. He sat on the stool, leaning his back against the bar.

"No, Ban." Merlin snapped.

"Leave her alone Ban." Meliodas' tone had been cheerful, yet warning. The Captain of the Sins could be oblivious at times, however when it came to his friends, he paid full attention. It hadn't taken him long to figure out that something had been up with the mage, he had known her for almost three thousand years. He had a good idea as to what had been bothering her.

"Butt out Captain." Ban glanced to the demon. "This is between us two. Ain't that right Merl? Come onnnn. It's beeen so looooong."

Merlin slammed her mug on the counter. She had come to the Boar Hat in hopes of soothing the ache in her temple, and her fellow Sin had managed to do the opposite. Merlin felt as if someone had taken a hammer to her head. It had become a difficult task just for her to focus on what the others had been saying.

Without another word, Merlin disappeared. The remaining Sins stared at one another. "Good job Ban! Now you upset Merlin!" Diane cried out. The immortal paid no attention to her, and simply picked up another mug.

"Maybe one of us should go check on her." King offered. Elizabeth and Meliodas shared a look from across the bar.

* * *

Merlin held a hand to her temple, trying to dull the pounding in her head. She couldn't remember the last time she had a migraine as bad as this. Looking around, she noticed she had teleported herself into the royal library.

"Merlin?" Escanor's voice questioned.

Turning around, she found him sitting on one of the large maroon couches in the room. He had a pile of books on the stand next to him. She watched as his eyes traveled to her hands. She pulled them away from her head. "Escanor, I apologize for interrupting you. I must have miscalculated when I teleported."

She knew it had been a lame attempt at an excuse, but she didn't have the focus to come up with a better one.

"You have a migraine again." It wasn't a question. Merlin sighed to herself. The sun still hung high in the sky, so his confidence had been at its peak. She could have tried another excuse. She could have just teleported out. However, she found herself still standing in front of the worried Lion Sin.

"Yes." Merlin agreed. Before they had been framed, she had told Escanor of how she would get them after he had walked into her lab midst her trying to cure one. He had been very helpful when it came to dealing with them, whether it be keeping the others from getting too loud or bringing her tea to relax her.

"Did you take something for it?" Escanor questioned.

"No. It wasn't this bad earlier. Usually some quiet does the trick, however it wasn't my best idea to go to the tavern today."

Escanor sighed. He had a grand idea as to who had made the situation worse. "W-why don't you join me then? It's quiet here, and I can make sure no one will bother you. If you'd like, I could even try something that I just recently read about to try and soothe your migraine. I-if you'd allow, t-that is."

A smirk appeared on her face. The Boar Sin couldn't help the small amount of amusement at the stutter in his voice. Even during his peak of confidence, she was able to make him falter. She weighed the options. She could return to her lab, and try and make something that could hopefully help her. She could stay here with Escanor and figure out what his idea was. She tossed out the idea of going back to the Boar Hat, knowing Ban would still be drunk and searching for a fight.

"Okay." She watched as his eyebrows raised in surprise. She shook her head slightly, wondering why he had been surprised. It would only be fair, after all the tests she had tried on him. She took the seat next to him. "What's your idea?"

"W-well." His face turned a deep shade of red as he stared straight ahead, not daring to look at her. "I'd like you to lay down. Allow me to get you a pillow."

He froze at the sudden pressure against him. Looking down, he watched as Merlin pulled her legs up before laying on her side. She placed her head on his thigh. "M-Merlin? W-wouldn't a p-pillow be more c-comf-fortable?"

"I like this better. You are rather warm, and I find it to be very soothing." Golden eyes met his sky blue as a teasing smile formed on her face. She waited a minute for him to relax a little before she continued. "Your idea is just for me to lay here?"

"Uh," Escanor called on every ounce of confidence he could. "No. I'd like you to close your eyes." She did. "Now, just take some deep breaths." He listened as she breathed in and out in a steady pattern. Gently, he began rubbing circles on her temple, careful enough not to apply too much pressure. Occasionally he would run his hand through her dark locks. "When is the last time you've slept?"

"I had a nap a few days ago." Merlin mumbled. Escanor only sighed. He knew he shouldn't have expected anything different.

After a few minutes, he was sure that she had fallen asleep. He gazed at the woman, taking in all the beauty before him. He filed the image into his mind for later. Surely, he could use the images as inspiration for a few poems later. With his free hand, he picked up the book that he had sat down, resuming where he had left off.

The opening of the library doors pulled his attention from his book. He looked over the edge of it. He could see a familiar yellow tuft of hair. Sitting his book down again, he offered his captain a smile.

"Yo." Meliodas said as he waved at the Lion Sin. Escanor watched as the green-eyed man looked down, then back up. "Another migraine, huh?"

"Yes." Escanor hadn't seen any reason to lie. "I do believe it is due to lack of sleep. But how did you know?" He couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy that Merlin had obviously gone to the captain instead of him.

"Well," Meliodas said. He placed his hands on the back of his head. "She had stopped by the tavern earlier. She didn't look too good. I asked her if she was fine, but she gave the typical Merlin brush off. Then Ban kept trying to pick a fight with her. She slammed her mug down and left, so I figured something had to be up."

"Hm." Escanor's suspicions had been correct. He thought that the immortal had something to do with it. He made a mental note to have a conversation about giving people space with the Fox Sin next time they crossed paths.

"You're good for her, you know." Escanor gave the demon a curious look at the sudden change of topic. Before he could question, Meliodas continued gesturing at the sleeping woman. "I've known her for a long time. She's always been a guarded person. When she's with you, though, she's different. More at ease I guess you could say. I've only ever seen her act like that with one person. She had been something of an older sister to Merlin." Meliodas gave him a sad smile. "But Merlin took it really hard when she died. We both did."

Escanor wanted to question him. He always jumped at the opportunity to hear past stories about the sleeping mage. "Well, I better get back before Ban burns the tavern down. Take care of her." Meliodas winked before leaving Escanor with his thoughts.


	5. Victorious

**Welcome back everyone!**

 **I'd like to thank anyone who followed/favorited/commented. I'm glad you are enjoying this series!**

 **Up next: A group of Knights challenge the Sins to a fight and pick the weakest member. Or so they think.**

 **Enjoy~**

* * *

"That didn't take long at all!" Grand Master Zaratras said enthusiastically as the Sins all stood around the front of his desk. He had sent the group out on a mission to help a neighboring town that had been terrorized by a group of ogres. He was pleasantly surprised considering the Sins had taken the mission only a few days ago. "Not that I'm too surprised. You are the best group we have after all!"

"Yeah," Ban leaned against the wall. "Well those villagers could have handled it themselves. Those ogres were a bunch of wimps."

King floated near Ban, he raised an eyebrow at the immortal. "Didn't Escanor save you?"

"I did." Escanor nodded.

Ban sneered at the pair. "Shut up. I didn't ask for his help."

"Anyway, here's your reward." Zaratras said as he handed a bag of gold to Meliodas. "Before you go, there's something we need to discuss."

* * *

"So, I see you 'Seven Lethal Lunatics' have returned from your mission." A tall, black-haired man scoffed as the Sins and Grand Master approached. He stood in one of the castle's training rings, with his men behind him.

"It's 'Seven Deadly Sins'." Gowther corrected as he and the others came to a stop in front of the group.

"Same thing." One of the men muttered.

"It's not." Meliodas stated. He entered the small training ring. The demon walked forward, standing a few feet away from the man. Meliodas had seen the man before in passing. He towered over the blonde. He wore a white sleeveless shirt that left his bulging muscles exposed.

"My name is Demitri. Behind me are my men. We are known as 'The Knights of Hope'. We bring hope and protection to this kingdom. I'm sure you've heard of our adventures."

"Nope. I can't say that I have." Demitri's eyes widened slightly, before narrowing. He had heard the rumors of the group being rather arrogant. If he were to be honest, he couldn't wait to put the whole lot of them in their places.

Meliodas gave the man a friendly smile. "I can't say I've heard of you or your order. But that's not why we're here now is it? We heard you wanted to fight."

Demitri crossed his arms, looking down his nose at the blonde. "We do. Honestly, we don't think you lot are capable of protecting the people of this kingdom. Nor are you deserving of your ranks."

"Then let's get this show on the road!" Ban yelled excitedly.

"Before we do, there needs to be some ground rules." Meliodas nodded in agreement. "Firstly, this will be a one on one match. You and I will each pick the fighters. I choose from your group and you from mine. The fight will be won when either one of our fighters knocks their opponent out of the ring or incapacitates them. None of the other members may interfere, if they do it will be an automatic win to the opposing team."

Meliodas bobbed his head. "Sounds reasonable."

"Lastly, if we win, you all must leave the kingdom." A sinister grin formed on Demitri's face.

Meliodas placed his hands behind his head. "Sounds good to me."

"Excellent. Grand Master Zaratras, would you do us the honor of judging this match?" Demitri asked. Zaratras agreed excitedly. "Then let's get this started. Who do you Lunatics choose?"

"Sins." Meliodas corrected. Meliodas looked over at the other four Knights. His eyes stopped on the largest, most muscular human of the group. Meliodas was certainly impressed by his physique. He appeared to be almost as well built as Escanor. "How about him?"

Demitri let out a laugh. The man that the foolish boy had chosen had been the strongest man he had ever met. Ivan not only had more strength than anyone, but he had a unique magical power that ensured his team as the victors. "The tales of your overzealousness seems to be true. But we accept your offer. Ivan, please join us." Thundering footsteps echoed throughout the area as man entered the ring.

"Since you have chosen, it is my turn." The man looked over the Sins. He wanted this to be a win by a landslide, so he had to pick the weakest opponent. He would make the Sins regret ever agreeing to this fight of his. He immediately tossed out the Giantess and the Armored Giant. The red headed man's strength seemed too close to his own to pick him. The albino's excitement for the fight had eliminated him as a potential fighter. That left him two options; a floating overweight man, or a dark haired woman. With a smirk, he made his decision. "I choose the woman."

"Awe come on!" Ban cried out. He had been itching for a fight since they had returned.

Escanor clenched his fits at his sides. While he knew that Merlin was more than capable of taking care of herself, and it wouldn't take her long to dispatch the man, the idea of her having to dirty her hands aggravated him. A hand on his shoulder pulled him out of his thoughts. Blue eyes met gold as he looked over. Merlin wore her signature smirk. "It's fine, Escanor." Escanor flushed pink, realizing she must have known what he had been thinking. Not that it surprised him, she always seemed to know what went on in his mind.

Meliodas leaned back, looking at Merlin, before returning his gaze to the man. "Are you sure about that?"

"Why would I not be? She is the one I choose. Are you so afraid that Ivan will beat her?" A cocky smile formed on Demitri's face. He was certain that out of all of the group, the woman had to be the weakest.

"No. I just figured you wanted an actual chance to win." Meliodas said as Merlin floated into the arena beside him. He gave her a thumbs up before exiting the arena.

Ivan looked at his opponent. She hovered above the ground. "You are my opponent? What a shame, I thought I would actually have someone who could challenge me. But here I am, stuck with you. I guess this won't take long."

Merlin smirked. "No, it won't."

"Fighters, are you ready?" The Grand Master called out. The pair nodded. The remaining members all stood off to the side of the ring. Zaratras held his hand out, before raising it. "Begin!" Ivan wasted no time activating his magic. He wore a smug smile as his eyes flashed white.

"Submit." The man walked closer to Merlin, who simply stayed still. "It was foolish of your leader to pick me. No one who has ever gone against me has won." He raised his fit into the air above the still mage. "Now die."

* * *

"Why isn't she moving? What'd he do?" King questioned. He could tell that Ivan had done something with magic. However, nothing seemed to be physically affected by his attack.

"It's game over." One of the members said triumphantly.

The Sins all looked to the Knights of Hope. "What do you mean?"

"If you had chosen anyone else, then you might have stood a chance. However, your defeat was certain the second you chose Ivan." Demitri explained. "Ivan's special ability is 'control'. His powers let him take control over someone's mind."

"So, it's brainwashing?" Escanor questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Another member leaned forward. "I guess you could compare it to that, yes. It is a special technique used by the Goddess Clan and their followers."

"Oh no, Merlin!" Diane cried out as the Sins turned their gaze back to the fight. "Get out of there!"

"Relax Diane." Meliodas said casually.

"How can you be so calm about this? He's going to kill her!" King shouted.

"Yes, Meliodas." Demitri laughed. "You don't seem to understand the gravity of the situation. That flash from his eyes means that Ivan has activated his powers and now has control over that woman's mind."

"If it's brainwashing magic he uses, then Merlin will be fine." Escanor explained. At first, he had been concerned, unsure as to what her opponent had in store for his beloved mage. After hearing what his magic power was, however, he knew the battle would end in victory for Merlin.

"What makes you so sure?!"

"It's simple." Meliodas let out a chuckle. "Brainwashing doesn't work on Merlin."

"Whaaat?" King and Diane cried out.

* * *

Merlin watched as Ivan's fist flew towards her. Just before his fist can connect, she teleported away. Ivan's eyes widened as his fist met air. He stumbled forward, trying to regain his footing. "What the? How did you move? You should be under my control!"

Merlin appeared behind the man. "Mind control magic has no effect on me." The mage explained as she lifted her arm. With a wicked smile, she summoned her magic. " _Shock Stinger_." A single bolt of electricity entered the man's back. A grunt of pain was all that had been heard as he fell face first onto the arena floor, unconscious.

"Merlin is the winner!" Zaratras called as the Sins began to cheer. Merlin turned away from the man, floating over to her comrades. Shouts of congratulations could be heard from the others accompanied by demands for celebration.

The Knights of Hope stood silently as they watched the group leave. "There's no way that woman could beat him! He has a power level of over two thousand! One of them must have helped her!" Demitri growled as he and the others entered the ring. They approached their defeated member.

"Actually, that was rather merciful." Zaratras said as he approached the group. He had seen Merlin's power first hand before. He knew that she had taken it rather easy on the man. "Lady Merlin has a power level of over four thousand."

All the men paled. One of the others helped the fallen Ivan into a sitting position. "T-there's no w-way."

A smirk formed on Zaratas' face. He knew how much power she and the Sins held. Unfortunately for the men, they had underestimated the wrong mage. "I assure you, it's true. All the other Sins have power levels over three thousand."

"They're monsters!"

"No," Zaratras said. "They're the Seven Deadly Sins, and they're the greatest heroes that we'll ever ask for."


	6. To Catch a Copycat

**Welcome back everybody!**

 **Thanks again to anyone who's taken the time to read this! I meant to have this chapter out last week, but life kinda got in the way. So hopefully it's worth the wait!**

 **Next up: Someone's running around as the Sins causing trouble in Liones, and of course our heroes are gonna find out who it is.**

 **Enjoy~**

* * *

"Property damage, theft, running out on tabs, provoking a fight in the square with some of the royal guards. The list goes on and on! What were the lot of you thinking?!" Zaratras sighed, looking at the group sat in the room. He had requested the Sins' presence to discuss a rather, troubling matter. Seven piles of reports lay scattered on his desk of complaints from both the citizens and the guards throughout the kingdom. Each stack of papers belonged to complaints against each of the members of the Deadly Sins.

"You're supposed to be protecting the kingdom! Not causing trouble for its people! You all must stop causing such trouble!" The silver haired Grand Master shouted at the seven people in front of him.

Each of the Sins stared at Zaratras with blank expressions. Meliodas stepped forward and gave the man across from him a friendly smile. "But we haven't caused any trouble."

"These stacks of complaints say different." The Grand Master muttered.

"It couldn't have been any of us. We returned to the kingdom today?" Gowther questioned. Zaratras' eyes narrowed in thought. Now that the Armored Giant had mentioned it, he remembered talking with Meliodas about how he and the rest of the Sins would be leaving for a six-day excursion into The Forest of White Dreams for training.

A confused look made its home on Zaratras' face. "If it wasn't you, then who's causing the trouble?"

"No idea." Meliodas punched his palm, a determined look in his green eyes. "But we're gonna find out, right guys?"

Ban smiled eagerly, looking down at his Captain. "You betcha! If anyone's going to ruin my reputation it's gonna be me!"

"Hold it. Don't go rushing into this you two. We need a plan." King said. He could only imagine what crazy plan had gone through the pair's mind. Images of the newly built kingdom being ripped apart by the two sent a shiver down the fairy's spine.

Ban looked at King out of corner of his eye. "Stay out of it, Fatty."

"King's right." All eyes turned to the dark-haired mage. "This imposter had already caused enough trouble as us, _we_ don't need to cause any more." She sent a pointed look at the excited duo. Zaratras let out a relieved sigh. At least he could count on those two to keep the others from getting too out of control.

"Do you have a plan, Lady Merlin?" Escanor questioned as he adjusted his glasses. Even though he had received them over a month ago, as a gift from Merlin, he hadn't gotten entirely used to wearing them. More often than not, he found himself adjusting them.

Merlin floated in silence for a moment. "I do. The kingdom is a large place to search. I think our best bet is to divide and conquer. I'll go back to the lab and keep track of everyone and any reports that come in."

"But how will you know if any of us has found him?" Diane asked.

"There's something I've been wanting to try out." Merlin opened her hand. Resting in her palm, sat seven teal blue spell beads. Each Sin took one from the mage. "These spell beads will let us communicate to each other. To activate it, all you do is think of whomever you wish to speak to and the beads will link and allow for communication."

"Huh," Meliodas held up the bead as he examined the object. "How long did it take you to make this one up?"

"Around an hour." Merlin wore her signature smug smile as the others looked at her in awe. "Their range is only a few miles at the moment. I'll stay here and monitor everyone. Each of you will need to take a different section of the town."

"If you don't mind, I would like to stay here." Escanor mentioned as he looked out the window at the climbing sun.

"But you have those glasses Merlin gave you?" King landed on the ground softly, gesturing to the man's face.

"Yes. However, with it being almost noon, I think it would be the wisest if I stayed behind."

"You just wanna stay behind because Merlin is." Ban teased as a sly grin formed on his face. Other than fighting with their Captain and getting drunk, teasing the redheaded man about his, not-so-subtle, crush had become his favorite past time.

"W-what. N-no!" Most of the Sins smiled in amusement as Escanor turned a bright shade of red. "It's not that! It's just if something were to happen to my glasses, I feel like this charlatan will be the least of our worries." He knew that if he removed the glasses, even for a moment, that he would transform into his day form. The problem wasn't even his day persona. To be more specific, his concern was the possibility of his glasses being removed during the peak of his power. The released monster would be more of a problem to the city than the imposter they were chasing.

"Escanor's right." Meliodas agreed. Escanor gave the blonde a grateful look. "Even if he does just want to stay behind to ogle Merlin." Meliodas let out a chuckle as Escanor nearly choked. The demon patted Escanor's back a few times. "Alright guys, enough fooling around. Let's find this guy!"

* * *

It had been three hours since the Sins had split up to find the Pseudo-Sin.

"Man, this is such a bust." Ban whined as he leaned his head back. His eyes scanned the area around him. He watched as a group of soldiers entered the bar across from him. Out of the corner of his eye he watched as a young boy bought some vegetables from the merchant stand to his left.

The immortal released a bored sigh as he leaned against a building. He had been given the task of searching around the more populated business area. His plan had been a little different from the rest. He knew the others would most likely end up searching for the imposter, he however, would let the man come to him.

A flash of orange caught the thief's attention. "Eh?" The daytime form of Escanor made his way through the crowd.

"Yo, Escanor!" Ban waved, catching the Sin's attention. The Pride Sin stared at him for a moment before giving him a smile. Pushing off the wall, he watched as his teammate made his way through the crowd of people. "I thought you were staying behind with Merlin?"

"Huh?" A confused look crossed the man's face. It only lasted a moment, however, before a friendly smile replaced it. "Oh yes. She sent me out to get her a few things. Which is why I came down here, after all."

Ban nodded, not surprised. The mage always managed to con the man into doing whatever she asked. He could tell that the Lion Sin seemed distracted by something in the crowd. Following his gaze, Ban's suspicions grew.

A trio of rather attractive women stood at the merchant across the street. Escanor's eyes were trained on them. Ban placed his hand over Escanor's shoulder. He motioned to the trio. "They're pretty hot, don't you think?"

"Oh yes." Escanor said excitedly, his gaze looking over the women. "They are beautiful."

"Uh huh." Ban pulled him closer. "You should totally go ask one out."

"You think so?" The immortal nodded. Escanor straightened his shoulders, ready to approach the women. A hand on his shoulder stopped him. Ban gestured for him to come closer. Escanor leaned in, ready to hear what the man would say next.

"One thing, before you go." Ban whispered. Without hesitation he punched the man in his stomach. The prideful man fell to his knees. Ban raised an eyebrow as the man's shape began to change. A scruffy haired young boy now knelt in front of him. The boy wore a dark red hooded shirt with dirty brown pants. Ban was certain the kid couldn't be older than fourteen. "You're not Escanor."

"How'd you know it was me?" The boy coughed. He lifted his head so he could see Ban standing over him.

"I'll give you credit, kid. You almost had me convinced. You looked just like Escanor." Ban leaned down so he could meet the kid's eyes. "However, you messed up when you started talking about other women. Escanor is committed to one woman, he'd never check out someone else."

Ban reached into his pocket and took out the spell bead that had been given to him. "Yo, Merlin. Grab everyone and get over here, I found him."

With a flash of gold, the others stood around him. Meliodas walked forward, tapping the white-haired thief with his fist lightly. "Good job!"

King floated up beside the pair, trying to catch a glimpse of who had been causing the trouble. The fairy's jaw dropped. "B-but he's just a kid!"

"I didn't expect that." Merlin hovered above the ground slightly, taking a look at the sandy haired boy.

"What's your name?" Diane leaned down, getting a better look at the boy.

"Nathan." Nathan muttered as a hand was extended to him. Following the arm, he could see someone he hadn't met before. The spectacle wearing man gave him a kind smile as he helped him to his feet.

"Why did you choose us to impersonate?" Gowther questioned from inside his armor.

"B-because. I'm a nobody. I come from a small village out in the middle of nowhere. I've heard tales of you all. You're the greatest order of knights Liones has. I figured if I became you, then people would actually notice me. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause so much trouble."

Meliodas gently bopped him on the head. "It was a dumb thing to do." Meliodas leaned back, giving him a smile. "Just don't do it again, okay?"

The young boy nodded. He looked around at the group of people. They each held a kind expression. He expected to be yelled at, beaten up, thrown in jail. He hadn't expected that they would forgive him so easily. "I won't. Thank you."

Ban ruffled the kid's hair. "Now that that's over, let's get drunk!"


End file.
